I will have to get the Ball canning book. I have two other but would like to can squash and yams, either simply or made into something.

Is there a raffle today? I don't see anything. How do you get a ticket?

Oberon46 said:I will have to get the Ball canning book. I have two other but would like to can squash and yams, either simply or made into something.

The ball book is good but I've been using one lately that I think is a little better. My mom took a preserving class and this was their textbook, she sent me an extra copy because she loved it so much!

Jo-Ann,
You're a sweetie! Thanks so much!

Oh I do have that one. I also took a preserving class and they recommended it. Also downloaded lots from our local Cooperative Extension service. Great stuff. I will look up squash

I was in the mood for doing some jelly/jam this week, and really wanted to try something I hadn't before. I've had several customers ask for grape jelly, and since I try to use local fruit, I had to explain that grapes don't do too well in Louisiana. Except for muscadines, and I sold out of that jelly quite a while ago. But I remembered that you can make jelly out of unsweetened juice, so I tried some plain old Welch's 100% grape juice & gave it a try. It really came out pretty good! Then I tried an sugar-free version & that came out delicious also.

While buying the grape juice, I also spied pomegranate. OK, how about some pomegranate jelly. That made some good jelly also, both full sugar & sugar-free. I don't think the grape & pomegranate jellies will be in my inventory permanently, but they were a nice change in the winter when there's no fresh fruit around.
Jo-Ann

Huh. Neat idea. My husband likes jam rather than jelly. I figured I would buy some frozen strawberries and mix it with the juice I canned last fall. Had a bunch of different juices left over form berries and apples but was done with wanting to can jelly or jam so I just put it in the pressure cooker and canned it that way. Guess I could have water bathed it. What do you think? Would that preserve the juice okay.

Anyway I like the idea of using frozen fruit like strawberries, raspberries, or what ever you can get at the store together with your own juice from the gardens. I found a neat recipe for fresh pear apple jam and it was great. Even Damien liked it.

None of this is current, but I've canned Bread & Butter pickles, sweet pickle squash, pickled beets tomato sauce, fig preserves, peach preserves, peach jelly, apple jelly, apple butter, pear preserves, prickly pear jelly, and orange marmalade.

Here are a few photos of various canned products:


Bread & Butter, Dill chips
Beets
Tomato sauce
Fig preserves
Peach Jam

Looks great! I usually freeze but will get back into canning this year.

No canning for me. Freezing only if that!

David, Your beets look delicious. I've got to try some this year.

Beets are with a recipe that includes sugar and cloves. Don't remember the exact spice mix, though. I've been doing a lot of jellies and jams since I discovered a mistake-free version of pectin. I use "Pomona's Universal Pectin". It doesn't require a specific amount of sugar, so you can vary the recipe for taste... not be stuck with the level of sugar that makes the pectin jell. I generally use 1 cup fruit/juice for 1 cup sugar for jams & preserves. They have all-fruit and low-sugar recipes, too. Check it at http://www.pomonapectin.com/. I normally buy multiple boxes at Amazon.com.

David